Apparatus for manufacturing pipes from a cementitious composition



OMPOSITIQN J. FERLA May 14, '1940.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PIPES FROM A CEMENTITIOUS C 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'File d Sept. 22, 1938 Z72V7? 207 .jie fria J.FERLA May 14, 1940.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING PIPES FROM A CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITION 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 22. 1938 J. FERLA 2.200.268 MANUFACTURING PIPES FROM A CEMENTITIOUS COMPOSITION May 14, 1940.

. APPARATUS FOR Filed Sept. 22, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 14, 1 940" UNITED sum omens CTURIH FROM A 'OEMEN'IITIOUS COLIPOSITION John Perl! Chicago, IlL, assignor to Levi H. Blouch, Merchantville, N. I.

Application September 2:. 1m, Serial No. 23am 6 Claim, (01. 2H0) The invention relates 'to an apparatus for manufacturing pipes from a cementitious composition. I A

It is an object of the invention to accelerate the manufacture of pipe by providing a runway enabling a plurality of mandrels to be stored in such runway andserially conveyed to a central position for formingthe pipe thereon and subsequently advance to the unloading zone.

Another object aims at automatically lifting the hopper feeding material to the mandrel'as the pipe increases in A further object constitutes the provision of means for rendering a signal when a pipe is completed, so asto apprise the operator when the mandrel an the tube are to be unloaded.

Other and equally important objects will appear from a perusalof the invention to be described in the following specification, particularly pointed out in the claims forming a part thereof, 4

and illustrated in the drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus.

constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 1a is a detail section.

3 Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

3 is a section on the line 3-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. i is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1

and

Figs. 5 to 8 show-various modifications.

U Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and.2, Ill designates a vat to which a liquid mixture is supplied, which is kept in agitation to maintain uniform consistency by a plurality of agitators II and I2.

so A horizontal shaft 1: extends longitudinally through the vat and is supported in bearings l4 and- I! on the outside of the vat and attached thereto.

The shaft l3 carries a spider frame It, on 40 which is mounted a cylindrical screen I! which,

at the right end, as viewed in Fig.2,is provided with a frusto-conical portion l8, and thence continues into a cylindrical portion IQ of larger di{ ameter than the body portion of the screenr' 45 A roll is mounted on a shaft 2i which is iournaled in bearings 22 ,and 23, provided on the shaft. The roll 20 is covered with fabric to facilitate the removal of the layer from the screen to the mandrel for deposit thereon.

50 The roll is provided with a serrated external surface and is adapted to pick up a layer of material from the molding screen 11 and transmit the same to a mandrel 24, whose interior is under vacuum. If'desired, the mandrel may be covered 55 by a layer of felt or fabric. The mandrel, being supported in bearings open at the top, may execute a vertical movement as the thickness of the layer thereon increases.

The right endofroll 2iisreducedtofitthe contour ofthescreen l'landsimilarlytberight end oi the mandrel 24 is shaped to be in contact with the roll 20.

Above the mandrel, and in engagement therewith, is a calender roll 25 journaled in bearings 26 maintained under the influence of aspring 21, controlled by a block," at the end of a set screw 29. a

The calender roll 25 is moistened by the spray of a water pipe." and-receives a deposit of dry' material from a hopper 3|, from which the dis- 1.

charge is controlled by a rotary brush 32 into a stationary hopper 33 and flows thence into a vertically adjustable hopper 34, which is held in position by counter weights 35 on cords 36,

trained around pulleys 31, mounted on extensions u k of hopper SI and secured to the hopper 34. The calender roll recedes from the mandrel as the thickness of the pipe on the mandrel 24 increases and the hopper 34 is moved upwards to allow for the receding of the calender roll.

Tim hopper is supported on channels 38 resting on cross beams ll, secured in any appropriate manner, to uprights 40 arising from the vat. I

A pilot roller 4!, adjustably .mountedin a bracket bearing 42, engages the spindle of man- 25 drel 24 and participates in a vertical rise due to the vertical movement of the mandrel under increasing thickness of the layers of dry and semi-dry material compressed thereon.

At a predetermined position, a contact 43 on 30 the roller engages a cooperating contact 44 and closes a circuit through a signal (not shown) to apprise the attendant that a pipe is finished.

The ends of the spindle for the mandrel 24 extends in a loading track formed'by members 86 45 and 46, supported by the uprights 40. The track is formed with an inclination to cause the mandrels to roll under gravity into pockets of carrying wheels and toroll out therefrom.

Carrying wheels 41 are mounted on stud shafts 40 48, supported in the bracket bearing 42. The wheels '4I are provided, equidistantly on the circumference, with pockets 4! in which the mana drel spindle is received, and are locked in position by a stop latch ill. 45

In operation, upon release of the latch and rotation of the wheel 41 one quarter turn, the mandrel in the loading track rolls downward due to the slope of the track and, its spindle having entered one of the pockets-'49 of wheels 41, participates in the movement'of the wheel, whereby the mandrel is placed in the central position.

The molding screen I'I, being rotated, conveys -a wet layer of fibrous material from .the solution in vat II to the roll 20, which imparts the layer halfway around the circumference of the man-'- drel, and the excess liquid enters the interior of the mandrel and is removed by the vacuum. Simultaneously, dry material, slightly moistened, is delivered by the calender roll 2! onto a .the wet layer of the mandrel and consolidated therewith by the pressure of'the calender roll.

A combination roll ii, forms rills in the wet layer in which the dry layer becomes anchored to ensure a homogeneous'heavy layer on the screen ll, while a cleaning roll 52 removes adhering particles from the screen.

A blade '53 engages the calender roll 25 to remove the layer therefrom and likewise a blade 64 removes the layer from the pick up roll 20, while a blade 55 operateson the screen. The drive ofthe apparatus is obtained from a motor 56, geared to 'a gear wheel 51 on the shaft 13, whence the drive to the various rolls is derived, as will be readily understood by those versed in the art.

In the modifica ion shown in Fig. 5, the roll!!! is dispensed with and instead the mandrel 24 is in direct eng e ent with the screen H, where a spreading roll it ensures a homogeneous heavy layer on the screen. In all other respects, the modification is identical to the first described embodiment.

In Fig. 6, a mandrel 51, of the non-vacuum type, is employed, there being a water spray from a pipe 58 to moisten the mandrel, prior to receiving the drymaterial from the hopper 34 In Fig. 7, two calendar rolls 59, 60 are journaled in bearings 6|, mounted on a bracket 62, securedto and 63, secured to a cross beam 64 connecting the hopperextensions and extending V intoan air cylinder 65.

It is evident that upon the pipe on the mandrel 24 becoming larger in diameter, the calender rolls will recede therefrom and the hoppers participate in the receding movement so as to beat constant distance from the surface of the calender rolls, ensuring thereby that, at all times,

s. uniform layer of moist material is superposed on the wet layer imparted to the mandrel 24 by .the molding screen I1.

A pipe 68 discharges a water spray on the'calloading track 45, 46 and carrier wheel are shown.

While the drawings show preferred embodiments of the apparatus for carrying out my invention, numerous changes'and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Y

-I, therefore, do not limit myself to the details of construction and arrangement, as shown, but

- in said liquid composition and wish to claim my invention as broadly asthe state of the art-permits. I claim:

1. In an apparatuslfor producing pipes from a H cementitious composition, a vat containing liquid composition, a molding screen rotatably mounted in said vat, a runway above said screen extending -thereto,ama.ndreladaptedtoroll in said runway. and means for arresting-said mandrel in position to receive alayer of composition irom said screen, said runway being at a height above said screen to permit cooperation between said mandrel and said screen.

2. In an apparatus for producing pipes from a cementitious composition, a vat containing liquid composition, a molding screen partly submerged in said liquidcomposition'and rotatably mounted in said vat, a calender roll, a hopper adapted to artly ub se between said roll-and said screen to receive liquid layers from said screen and dry layers from said calender roll until a pipe is formed.

3. In an apparatus for producing pipes from a' cementitious composition, a vat containing liquid composition, a molding screen partly submerged in the liquid composition and rotatably mounted in said vat, a calender roll, an adjustable hopper adapted to discharge dry compodtion material onto said roll, a rimway between said screenand said roll and extending transversely thereto, a mandrel adapted to roll under gravity in said runway, means for securing said mandrel when positioned between said calender roll and said screen to receive liquid layers from said screen and dry layers from said calender roll until a pipe is formed, and means for adjusting said hopper toallow for movement of said roll' under increasing pipe thickness.

4. In an apparatus for producing pipes from a cementitious composition, a vat containing liquid composition, a molding screen partly submerged in-the liquid composition and rotatably mounted in said vat, a calender roll, an adjustable hopper adapted to' discharge .dry composition material onto said roll, a. runway between said screen and said roll and extending transversely thereto, a mandrel adapted to roll under gravity in said runway, means for securingsaid mandrel when positioned between said calender roll and said screen to receive liquid layers fromlsaid screen and dry layers from said calender roll until a pipe is formed, and means for automatically adjusting said hopper to remain at constant distance from said roll on its receding motion under increasing pipe thickness.

5. In an apparatus for producing pipesfrom a cementitious composition, a vat containing liquid composition, a molding screen partly submerged.

in the liquid composition and rotatably mounted in said vat, a calender roll, a hopper dry composition material onto said roll, a runway extending transversely below said roll and above said screen, a mandrel adapted toroll under gravity in said runway intoent with said roll and said screen, means for holding said mandrel in such enga ing position to receive respectively a liquid and dry layers from said screen and said roll .until a pipe is formed, andmeans for automatically indicating when a pipe is completed on I saidmandrel.

6. In an apparatusifdr producing a cementitious a vat.containing the liquid composition, a molding screen partly submerged in said composition and rotatably mounted insaid vat, a calender roll, a hopper adapted to discharge dry composition material onto said mil, a runway above said screen and below said hopper and'extending transversely thereto, a mandrel adapted to roll loosely under gravlty'in said runway, and means for securing saidmandrel movemcntonlywhenpositionedbetweensaidcalenderrollandsaidscreen layersfromsaidscreenanddry layersfromsaidcalendermlluntilapipeis formed.

JOHNI'IRLA. 

